Achieving something great takes a lot of strength. Today, to create something in unity seems a lot harder than ever before. People are losing the perspective on joining hands and actually making a difference, making something beautiful and extraordinary. Also ignoring everything that's happening around them, being focused solely on their own path, their next step, when the biggest strength we possess actually is our joined passion, ambition and spirit. We're losing the ability to go after our goals together. So our values and dreams are fading a little more. compagnon was founded in 2013. We've done our best to capture our story and the development of our brand and products on our blog for you. What we always like to emphasize is our close connection with our fans, customers, friends, partners and all creatives out there as well as sharing our values with you. compagnon is always in pursuit for maximum transparency, natural & pure fabrics and parts of utmost quality, products made Europe under fair working conditions, artisanal manufacturing that supports regional businesses and traditional suppliers and adds ecological efficiency and responsibility to our products. And we're proud about all that. The region that's our home, the Black Forest and the South of Germany, is a powerful region where many awesome things are made. This is home to many innovations and products which are incorporated in our bags and backpacks. We always keep our eyes and ears open to what's new around our home and in our proximity. Sometimes a new idea or product amazes us from the first time we hear about it because it can deliver a special feeling to its owner or user while being made from natural ressources. After all, we know some things about that, too. Because not all products from wood are the same, just as all leather products are not, we'd like to tell you about Meine-Holzbox.de, meaning "my wooden box", which is an incredible project from around our home. This little company creates beautiful and personalized boxes for photos or photo books, made from all natural, untreated wood. Especially with wedding photographers this little brand this idea caught on quickly in the past months. Handmade in the Allgau region, Meine-Holzbox.de is in close relation to what compagnon is and always has been. Founder Tobias, part-time wedding photographer, has a great day job: He mentors, guides and cares for people with physical and mental handicaps in a carpentry workshop environment. This setting was created to introduce and include disabled people in an occupation that will teach them certain techniques and support them personally in the process. This way, they get the chance to develop some valuable self esteem and feel like a valuable part of society. 
This carpentry employs a total of 34 people with disabilities who get to develop towards and alongside the manufacturing step best suited for their own ability and requirements. Not all workers can manage their own private life on their own, so having a responsibility, a purpose, is hugely beneficial to their growing autonomy. Seeing the flawless quality of the finished products, it's even more astonishing and special what these people can create once they have someone to believe in their abilities. The compagnon team has own experience working with disabled people and thus is convinced that the importance of projects like this one is often neglected and kept in the background. In a society, which is, for good reason of course, primarily focused on individual performance and capability, we want to do our best to support those people who have no chance to meet those expectations and face the pressure. Despite their handicap they should have a chance to contribute and define their self esteem and self respect. For this reason we love the thought of photographers, creative people and also the customers receiving the boxes as a gift, actually giving something immensely valuable like a perspective, future, support and encouragement, to people who are less fortunate. Without projects like these, many people in need wouldn't have a chance to receive these things. We think these ideals, the thought behind it, making a change in such a great way, that's very "compagnon-like". That's why we're joining our hands with those people at Meine-Holzbox.de and show that we can be strong together and make a difference. Because of you, dear friends and customers, compagnon has developed marvellously and will continue to do so.
Please remember that love and luck are the only things that multiply if you share them. In choosing a compagnon product you not only support our regional and European family-run businesses and traditional partners adding their knowhow to our bags & backpacks. We're more than happy to be an official support of Meine-Holzbox.de. 
